Chapter Seven: The Story of Serendipity
Back aboard the Celsius, Yuna, Rikku and Paine lay down their weapons after a near takeover of Kilika by Kristi and The Turks. Rikku tells them just where that wormhole took them, and they were just as shocked as Rikku was when she landed there.
PAINE: Ten years into the future, huh?
RIKKU: Yeah. It seemed like I was gone for 15 seconds, but believe it or not, I was there overnight. I landed in the Thunder Plains. It looked horrible! ALL of Mana looked horrible! But you, I mean a lady who looked a lot like Lulu, saved me and took me in from out of the cold. Then I was on my way to Kilka to see Shinra, but I landed in Luca and...
YUNA: Whoa, whoa, whoa, Rikku! Slow down! I know it was frightening for you, being 10 years away from home, but you're losing us here.
RIKKU: E's Cunno, Yuna. (Translation: I'm Sorry, Yuna.)
Then, Serendipity stepped from within the corridors, and onto the bridge.
SERENDIPITY: Allow me to tell you what happened, and also the reason why I am here.
PAINE: I was about to ask you the same thing. What's your deal, and what business do you have with Rikku? Are you working for Kristi Shinra?
SERENDIPITY (scowling): If I were, you wouldn't be here right now.
LULU: Please, Paine. Let the woman say her peace. Maybe she's here because she needs our help.
SERENDIPITY: That is exactly why I'm here.
YUNA: Well you came to the right place. YRP at your service. I'm Yuna.
RIKKU: You already know your friendly neighborhood Rikku!
PAINE: Paine. Nice to meet you.
LULU: And I'm Lulu, your pilot slash guardian slash black mage.
SERENDIPITY: Thanks for the introductions, but I know you all already. My name is Serendipity and I'm from the future. Ten years into future, I should say.
Yuna, Rikku, Paine and Lulu all gasp in shock.
SERENDIPITY: Yeah. I was expecting a reaction like that. I should tell you why I'm here. It's real simple. I'm here to do something I should have done 10 years ago. Stop Sephiroth from taking over the world.
PAINE: WHAT?!
YUNA: Sephiroth? But Cloud Strife killed him 7 years ago!
SERENDIPITY: Well, in about 2 months from now, Kristi Shinra monopolizes enough of Mana to spread that poison people in the Seventh Sector call Mako all over Mana. After she lets loose the Mako, Kristi gets another idea in her head. But in order for her to pull it off, she needs to get rid of the Pillars of Mana.
YUNA: Pillars of Mana?
LULU: The most powerful people on Mana. Shelinda coined the term, and it spread Mana-wide. According to Shelinda, they are Tifa Lockheart, current president of Galbadia and first in line to be praetor of Mako, Kristi Shinra, head of Shin-Ra, Inc. and another candidate for praetorship of Mako, Vivi Oritania, prime minister of Gaia, Laguna Loire, president of Esthar, and Rinoa Heartilly, Head Garden Master and president of SeeD.
SERENDIPITY: Correctumundo.
RIKKU: Lulu just said KRISTI was one of the pillars, right? Why would she want to get rid of all the others?
SERENDIPITY: Power, my dear Rikku. Kristi knew that Rinoa, Tifa, Laguna and Vivi wouldn't let this idea fly. So she said went to someone who shared the same idea she did, but she'd have to raise him from the dead. A move she'd later regret.
YUNA: Sephiroth.
SERENDIPITY: After Kristi raises Sephiroth from the dead, She gathers her fellow pillars and tells them to meet her in Bevelle. They come, but she leads them deep into the bowels of Beville, where Vegnagun once stood. The meeting a heated one, and Rinoa, uncharacteristically, gets pissed off with Kristi. They argue, and then the soul of Sephiroth takes over. Kristi shoots Rinoa twice in the head, killing her instantly. Vivi tries to avenge Rinoa, knowing he's oblivious to any gun shot that Kristi fires at him. But Sephiroth is now fully resurrected, and he stabs Vivi from behind, just like he did Aerith. Under Kristi's command, Sephiroth and New SOLIDER, whom we call "white coats", hunt down and kill Tifa at her home in Galbadia, and Laguna in his presidential office in Eshtar. It seemed that Kristi and Sephiroth were going to take over the world, side by side, sharing the same vision.
PAINE: I'd say.
LULU: Let me guess. That doesn't happen. Does it?
SERENDIPITY: Most certainly not.
YUNA: Thought so.
SERENDIPITY: When Kristi and Sephiroth came back to Migar and Shin-Ra Headquarters, Kristi made it a point to address Mana, via Mana-wide TV, and demanded that everyone all bow before her. Little did she know while she was addressing Mana as its new dictator, Sephiroth drew his blade.
PAINE: Sephiroth kills Kristi, and takes over the world himself. Now it all starts to make sense. Kristi wanted to be the only pillar of Mana standing so she could take over Mana.
YUNA: Sephiroth had the same vision, but only he wanted ALL the pillars gone, including Kristi.
RIKKU (thinking): That's what S.D. meant when she explained it to me at Serendipity for Hire. Rinoa, Vivi, Tifa, Laguna, Kristi, in that order.
SERENDIPITY: What happens next makes martial law look like a democracy. He starts looking for all the summoners in Mana and starts killing them on the spot. That's why I have to keep a low profile.
YUNA: You're a summoner, Serendipity?
SERENDIPITY: Have been since I was 17. I'm 29 now, so I've been an official summoner for 12 years, a high summoner for 10.
YUNA: You're a high summoner?
SERENDIPITY: Hard to believe, huh?
YUNA: So how was your first time? Praying to the fayth, I mean.
SERENDIPITY: The scariest day of my life. First of all, I had to go through the infernal maze known as the Besaid Cloister of Trails, then, when I finally got down to pray to the fayth, I didn't get an answer for two whole days until, wait! How did this conversation go from Sephiroth taking over the world to Serendipity's expedition to summonerhood?
YUNA: Sorry. It's not every day you get to talk to a High Summoner from the future.
SERENDIPITY: I suppose you're right, Yuna. Now where was I?
RIKKU: The part where Sephiroth was hunting summoners down and killing them.
SERENDIPITY: Thanks, Rikku. All this went on because Sephiroth is deathly afraid of summoners. Why you ask? Because he has this recurring dream that a summoner kills him and brings peace to Mana before he gets a chance to rule it himself. And he knows that there is one summoner on the face of Mana that has that kind of power.
LULU: Let me guess. This summoner's name starts with a "Y" and ends in "U-N- A."
SERENDIPITY: He goes on a mad tear on his quest to kill Yuna. But she's smart, and goes into hiding, for fear that is she shows up and loses, Sephiroth will rule forever.
YUNA: Let me get this straight. I go into hiding?
RIKKU: Yunie's never ran from a fight in her life! Look at her track record. 2-0 against the forces of evil. And if you don't believe me, go ask Sin and Vegnagun.
SERENDIPITY: Don't you think I know that, Rikku? But Yuna hides because..
LULU: You don't have a reason. Do you, Serendipity?
SERENDIPITY: Every time I think about, it saddens me.
YUNA: Come on, Serendipity! You can tell us! Why do I go into hiding? Apparently you knew me well, so why did I hide?
SERENDIPITY: That I really don't know. But while she's hiding, people like myself, and a few other surviving summoner take Yuna's example, and keep low profiles. Me? I wanted answers. Why does Sephiroth have to do this to us? So I decided to be Spira's dectective, and tried to ease Spira's suffering, just like you've done over the years, Yuna. I then turned the abandoned Travel Agency in the Thunder Plains into my base, "Serendipity for Hire." You can pretty much say it's my sworn duty to fend Spira off from the likes of Sephiroth and the Shin-Ra. But I always believed that a prophet would come from the past and lead me back here, so I can stop this from ever happening. 10 years later, Rikku falls out of the sky and right in front of my agency. Paine finds her. I run into her in Luca.
PAINE: I work for YOU in the future, Serendipity?
SERENDIPITY: It's a long story, Paine, but yes you do. But it's pretty clear why I'm here.
YUNA: You want ME to stop Sephiroth from taking over the world?
SERENDIPITY: Yes.
YUNA: Then let's go! Lulu! Full speed ahead to Midgar!
SERENDIPITY: It's not that easy, Yuna. All those events I just mentioned? You have to stop them from happening as well. The pillars of Mana MUST NOT fall at the hands of greed, or else Sephiroth will rule.
RIKKU: I know! Let's go see Rinoa Heartilly! Maybe she'll know what to do!
LULU: I really don't know. Has this thing flown out of Spira before?
PAINE: Buddy said that this ship is capable of flying from here to the moon if needbe. So my guess is that this ship is capable of flying from here to Pandora.
YUNA (thinking): Wow. I'm going on a mission to save MANA. But am I ready. Serendipity says I have the power, but do I really?
PAINE: We don't go anywhere unless you say the word.
YUNA: Uh-Huh. We ARE going to see Rinoa. But there's something I must do. I must tell the people that I'm going to be leaving Spira for a while and not to worry.
SERENDIPITY (sarcastically): So what are you gonna do, High Sum? You want a big crowd, like you had for both of your concerts?
YUNA: No. I'll just have Shinra re-attach the commspheres. I'll address the people using the sphere in Besaid.
RIKKU: Sounds like a plan to me!
PAINE: I'm down.
LULU: Count me in, too.
SERENDIPITY: Fine. We'll stay in Besaid for the night. But in the morning, we leave for Pandora.
With that, Serendipity got up, and headed back to the cabin. Lulu went back to the pilot's chair, and Paine sat in the chair near the computer. Yuna soon left the bridge, and went onto the deck, where she had deep thoughts about what she just heard, and the information she gathered from it.
YUNA (thinking): I believe Serendipity's story, but I have this crazy hunch she's leaving some things out. But other than that, who IS Serendipity? Her story sounds a lot like mine. A WHOLE lot like mine. I'll find out who you really are, Serendipity, if it's the last thing I do.
Back aboard the Celsius, Yuna, Rikku and Paine lay down their weapons after a near takeover of Kilika by Kristi and The Turks. Rikku tells them just where that wormhole took them, and they were just as shocked as Rikku was when she landed there.
PAINE: Ten years into the future, huh?
RIKKU: Yeah. It seemed like I was gone for 15 seconds, but believe it or not, I was there overnight. I landed in the Thunder Plains. It looked horrible! ALL of Mana looked horrible! But you, I mean a lady who looked a lot like Lulu, saved me and took me in from out of the cold. Then I was on my way to Kilka to see Shinra, but I landed in Luca and...
YUNA: Whoa, whoa, whoa, Rikku! Slow down! I know it was frightening for you, being 10 years away from home, but you're losing us here.
RIKKU: E's Cunno, Yuna. (Translation: I'm Sorry, Yuna.)
Then, Serendipity stepped from within the corridors, and onto the bridge.
SERENDIPITY: Allow me to tell you what happened, and also the reason why I am here.
PAINE: I was about to ask you the same thing. What's your deal, and what business do you have with Rikku? Are you working for Kristi Shinra?
SERENDIPITY (scowling): If I were, you wouldn't be here right now.
LULU: Please, Paine. Let the woman say her peace. Maybe she's here because she needs our help.
SERENDIPITY: That is exactly why I'm here.
YUNA: Well you came to the right place. YRP at your service. I'm Yuna.
RIKKU: You already know your friendly neighborhood Rikku!
PAINE: Paine. Nice to meet you.
LULU: And I'm Lulu, your pilot slash guardian slash black mage.
SERENDIPITY: Thanks for the introductions, but I know you all already. My name is Serendipity and I'm from the future. Ten years into future, I should say.
Yuna, Rikku, Paine and Lulu all gasp in shock.
SERENDIPITY: Yeah. I was expecting a reaction like that. I should tell you why I'm here. It's real simple. I'm here to do something I should have done 10 years ago. Stop Sephiroth from taking over the world.
PAINE: WHAT?!
YUNA: Sephiroth? But Cloud Strife killed him 7 years ago!
SERENDIPITY: Well, in about 2 months from now, Kristi Shinra monopolizes enough of Mana to spread that poison people in the Seventh Sector call Mako all over Mana. After she lets loose the Mako, Kristi gets another idea in her head. But in order for her to pull it off, she needs to get rid of the Pillars of Mana.
YUNA: Pillars of Mana?
LULU: The most powerful people on Mana. Shelinda coined the term, and it spread Mana-wide. According to Shelinda, they are Tifa Lockheart, current president of Galbadia and first in line to be praetor of Mako, Kristi Shinra, head of Shin-Ra, Inc. and another candidate for praetorship of Mako, Vivi Oritania, prime minister of Gaia, Laguna Loire, president of Esthar, and Rinoa Heartilly, Head Garden Master and president of SeeD.
SERENDIPITY: Correctumundo.
RIKKU: Lulu just said KRISTI was one of the pillars, right? Why would she want to get rid of all the others?
SERENDIPITY: Power, my dear Rikku. Kristi knew that Rinoa, Tifa, Laguna and Vivi wouldn't let this idea fly. So she said went to someone who shared the same idea she did, but she'd have to raise him from the dead. A move she'd later regret.
YUNA: Sephiroth.
SERENDIPITY: After Kristi raises Sephiroth from the dead, She gathers her fellow pillars and tells them to meet her in Bevelle. They come, but she leads them deep into the bowels of Beville, where Vegnagun once stood. The meeting a heated one, and Rinoa, uncharacteristically, gets pissed off with Kristi. They argue, and then the soul of Sephiroth takes over. Kristi shoots Rinoa twice in the head, killing her instantly. Vivi tries to avenge Rinoa, knowing he's oblivious to any gun shot that Kristi fires at him. But Sephiroth is now fully resurrected, and he stabs Vivi from behind, just like he did Aerith. Under Kristi's command, Sephiroth and New SOLIDER, whom we call "white coats", hunt down and kill Tifa at her home in Galbadia, and Laguna in his presidential office in Eshtar. It seemed that Kristi and Sephiroth were going to take over the world, side by side, sharing the same vision.
PAINE: I'd say.
LULU: Let me guess. That doesn't happen. Does it?
SERENDIPITY: Most certainly not.
YUNA: Thought so.
SERENDIPITY: When Kristi and Sephiroth came back to Migar and Shin-Ra Headquarters, Kristi made it a point to address Mana, via Mana-wide TV, and demanded that everyone all bow before her. Little did she know while she was addressing Mana as its new dictator, Sephiroth drew his blade.
PAINE: Sephiroth kills Kristi, and takes over the world himself. Now it all starts to make sense. Kristi wanted to be the only pillar of Mana standing so she could take over Mana.
YUNA: Sephiroth had the same vision, but only he wanted ALL the pillars gone, including Kristi.
RIKKU (thinking): That's what S.D. meant when she explained it to me at Serendipity for Hire. Rinoa, Vivi, Tifa, Laguna, Kristi, in that order.
SERENDIPITY: What happens next makes martial law look like a democracy. He starts looking for all the summoners in Mana and starts killing them on the spot. That's why I have to keep a low profile.
YUNA: You're a summoner, Serendipity?
SERENDIPITY: Have been since I was 17. I'm 29 now, so I've been an official summoner for 12 years, a high summoner for 10.
YUNA: You're a high summoner?
SERENDIPITY: Hard to believe, huh?
YUNA: So how was your first time? Praying to the fayth, I mean.
SERENDIPITY: The scariest day of my life. First of all, I had to go through the infernal maze known as the Besaid Cloister of Trails, then, when I finally got down to pray to the fayth, I didn't get an answer for two whole days until, wait! How did this conversation go from Sephiroth taking over the world to Serendipity's expedition to summonerhood?
YUNA: Sorry. It's not every day you get to talk to a High Summoner from the future.
SERENDIPITY: I suppose you're right, Yuna. Now where was I?
RIKKU: The part where Sephiroth was hunting summoners down and killing them.
SERENDIPITY: Thanks, Rikku. All this went on because Sephiroth is deathly afraid of summoners. Why you ask? Because he has this recurring dream that a summoner kills him and brings peace to Mana before he gets a chance to rule it himself. And he knows that there is one summoner on the face of Mana that has that kind of power.
LULU: Let me guess. This summoner's name starts with a "Y" and ends in "U-N- A."
SERENDIPITY: He goes on a mad tear on his quest to kill Yuna. But she's smart, and goes into hiding, for fear that is she shows up and loses, Sephiroth will rule forever.
YUNA: Let me get this straight. I go into hiding?
RIKKU: Yunie's never ran from a fight in her life! Look at her track record. 2-0 against the forces of evil. And if you don't believe me, go ask Sin and Vegnagun.
SERENDIPITY: Don't you think I know that, Rikku? But Yuna hides because..
LULU: You don't have a reason. Do you, Serendipity?
SERENDIPITY: Every time I think about, it saddens me.
YUNA: Come on, Serendipity! You can tell us! Why do I go into hiding? Apparently you knew me well, so why did I hide?
SERENDIPITY: That I really don't know. But while she's hiding, people like myself, and a few other surviving summoner take Yuna's example, and keep low profiles. Me? I wanted answers. Why does Sephiroth have to do this to us? So I decided to be Spira's dectective, and tried to ease Spira's suffering, just like you've done over the years, Yuna. I then turned the abandoned Travel Agency in the Thunder Plains into my base, "Serendipity for Hire." You can pretty much say it's my sworn duty to fend Spira off from the likes of Sephiroth and the Shin-Ra. But I always believed that a prophet would come from the past and lead me back here, so I can stop this from ever happening. 10 years later, Rikku falls out of the sky and right in front of my agency. Paine finds her. I run into her in Luca.
PAINE: I work for YOU in the future, Serendipity?
SERENDIPITY: It's a long story, Paine, but yes you do. But it's pretty clear why I'm here.
YUNA: You want ME to stop Sephiroth from taking over the world?
SERENDIPITY: Yes.
YUNA: Then let's go! Lulu! Full speed ahead to Midgar!
SERENDIPITY: It's not that easy, Yuna. All those events I just mentioned? You have to stop them from happening as well. The pillars of Mana MUST NOT fall at the hands of greed, or else Sephiroth will rule.
RIKKU: I know! Let's go see Rinoa Heartilly! Maybe she'll know what to do!
LULU: I really don't know. Has this thing flown out of Spira before?
PAINE: Buddy said that this ship is capable of flying from here to the moon if needbe. So my guess is that this ship is capable of flying from here to Pandora.
YUNA (thinking): Wow. I'm going on a mission to save MANA. But am I ready. Serendipity says I have the power, but do I really?
PAINE: We don't go anywhere unless you say the word.
YUNA: Uh-Huh. We ARE going to see Rinoa. But there's something I must do. I must tell the people that I'm going to be leaving Spira for a while and not to worry.
SERENDIPITY (sarcastically): So what are you gonna do, High Sum? You want a big crowd, like you had for both of your concerts?
YUNA: No. I'll just have Shinra re-attach the commspheres. I'll address the people using the sphere in Besaid.
RIKKU: Sounds like a plan to me!
PAINE: I'm down.
LULU: Count me in, too.
SERENDIPITY: Fine. We'll stay in Besaid for the night. But in the morning, we leave for Pandora.
With that, Serendipity got up, and headed back to the cabin. Lulu went back to the pilot's chair, and Paine sat in the chair near the computer. Yuna soon left the bridge, and went onto the deck, where she had deep thoughts about what she just heard, and the information she gathered from it.
YUNA (thinking): I believe Serendipity's story, but I have this crazy hunch she's leaving some things out. But other than that, who IS Serendipity? Her story sounds a lot like mine. A WHOLE lot like mine. I'll find out who you really are, Serendipity, if it's the last thing I do.